


Chance Encounter

by Lyumia



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angeal is a dad, Bad Puns, Fluff, Imma stop now or else my tag will just be rare vine references, Kinkshaming IS my kINK, M/M, Not Beta Read, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Why y'all gotta write so much shit with daddy kinks, dad jokes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 16:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14336898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyumia/pseuds/Lyumia
Summary: After leaving SOLDIER many years ago, Angeal meets up with an old friend.





	Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so bad at updating my other fics, I swear.

He sighed and with a slight lean he put more weight on the wall he was pinned between as if that would offer him more moral support. He nodded to the drone of the mother who he couldn't remember the name of, despite the fact his memory was perfect when it came to the smallest of matters. “... Angeal? Did you hear me?”

Her voice hit him with astounding volume over the cherry drone of the music playing from the old crackling speakers, that, when combined with the garish purple and neon patterned wallpaper, and the district odor of grease it all made his head hurt.

He shook his head, with a sheepish smile.  “No. I apologize. I found myself lost in thought.” Thinking about how he wanted nothing more to sink so deep into the depths of his mattress at home that it swallowed him whole, but that kind of thinking would only make these meetings more tiresome. A squeal drew both their attention, and the group of girls still dressed in their blitzball uniforms kicked up a ball that hit the ceiling with a thud.

“Ciel, for the last time we don't play indoors!” She was out of the booth in an instant, and his daughter crept up and slid into her place.

“How are you holding out soldier?” She teased lightly, her brown eyes which were splotched with a brilliant blue glowed.

He ruffled her hair, which she giggled and quickly waved his hand away and worked to smooth the strands back down. “I'm fine, Xion.Are you okay?”

“Yep.” She grinned. “I saw Ms. Sylvia was bothering you again and wanted to make sure she wasn't giving you war flashbacks to Donna.”

He chuckled, and assured “The battles she wages are long and hard, but I can handle a sports mom or two.”

She grinned, in a way that eerily looked like someone from the past. It made his heart ache. “I dunno, dad, imagine if she found your weak spot.”

He raised a brow at that and she managed to struggle her snickers somewhat as her fingers darted out and tickled his sides. “No-” He snorted, quickly pulling away. “That's no fair. You're revealing secrets to the enemy.”

They both looked to the mother who was scolding her child in a secluded spot by an arcade machine. Sharing a glance they snickered quietly into their hands, muffling the sounds. “I think the enemy is a little occupied.”

“You should take this opportunity to go play, so she doesn't trap us both.” He watched her roll her eyes at his disguised order, and slide out with a smile and a huff. Another girl with red hair waved and Xion ran over to her, passing by two who were stepping into the building through the door, the one with brown hair stepped aside out of the way and was steadied by the other who grinned, his black spikes swaying with the motion of…

He quickly looked down and away, biting his lip, running his finger along the side of his cup. He felt the shift of mako, and no doubt the other felt it too, if the distinct prickle of his skin was any indication he was being watched.

“Hey.”

He looked up, finding himself a little breathless as irises the color of a clear blue sky bore back into his. His hair was a couple inches longer but still in the same slicked bar style he remembered with haunting clarity, and his honey colored skin was just a touch darker. “Hello… Zack.”

He snorted, and he flinched. Shining mako eyes flickered over him before Zack spoke quietly. “I'm a little hurt ya know. I haven't seen you in over 15 years and all you say is ‘hello’.”

“I believe 'hey’ isn't much of a heartfelt greeting either.” His voice cracked.

Zack smiled but it was dimmed by something toiling behind his eyes. “You're right. Let me try again.” He took a deep breath and there was that same mischievous glint in his eyes that Zack shared with Xion. Angeal tensed, with a wince he held Zack back by his face as the man tried to hug him. “Annnngeeeaaaallll, it's been so long man!”

“Down, puppy, down!” He yelped out of habit, but Zack let up the force on his hand so it slid off his face, ducking beneath it Zack tacked him with a hug. He laughed, wrapping his arms around Zack who buried his face in his neck. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” He mumbled back into his skin, hot breath tickling his neck. “I missed you so much Geal.”

He rested his chin on his head, not caring about the multiple stares he felt on him. The sweet smell of lavender washed over him and reminded him of much simpler times.   Finally they parted, he gave Zack's shoulder a squeeze before sitting down properly in the booth. “Dad?”

Xion peered past Zack at him, obviously thrilled and curious. “Oh!” Zack grinned. “You must be Xion. You have your daddy's eyes.”

“Xion, this is Zack. He was one of my friends in SOLDIER.”

The mousy brown haired boy who was with Zack earlier walked back from the front counter and offered a small trading smile. “Puppy, huh?”

“Denzeeellll.” Zack whined and slumped. “This is Angeal, Angeal this is Denzel. He's my friend’s kid.” He pouted. “He's staying with me while his dad is out of town.”

“Nice to meet you sir.”

“Please, call me Angeal.” He waved his hand.

“Well!” Xion cut in enthusiastically. “We'll leave you two old geezers to catch up. C'mon Denzel.”

“See you,” He waved and followed her. Angeal could hear him ask in an even softer voice about a sci-fi game they were walking over to.

“You're the old one.” Zack teased. “What are you now? Forty?” He neglected to answer that one, casually sipping more of his water. Zack laughed quietly and hummed. “You still look the same.” He noted, gently cupping his cheek. He leaned into the touch, the new calluses on Zack's hand were a welcome sensation. “Maybe a little scruffier.”

“You too.” He murmured. “You still look eighteen.”

Zack winked and pulled away his hand, leaning on the table. “Five years ago, I'd be flattered to hear that but I got almost got arrested in a bar once because the bartender thought my id was fake last week.”

He made a horrible, startled noise that resembled a stifled laugh and tried to cover it with his hand that Zack rolled his eyes at. “Tell me about it.” He responded “I once tried to buy some banoran cider for Genesis and the clerk stared at it for a solid minute before I had to explain it was just the mako.”

Zack laughed, a beautiful chime that was long and loud. “Mako problems aside, what have you been doing?”

He took a deep breath, ignoring the pain some memories brought and focused on the good ones. “I bought a little farm on the edge of town. Most I made into a garden, but I have a few chocobos that Gen gave me. And Xion loves them. Nothing that interesting, I'm afraid.”

Zack nudged him, with a small genuine smile he whispered “Tell me more about your garden.”

So he did, he explained how it was long abandoned when he bought it and required serious work in order to become manageable. He talked about finding the lily seeds, and their beautiful pink petals. He told them about how their dogs tried to eat them, and Xion's rabbits getting into the onion beds. He was encouraged by the weight and warmth of Zack's smaller, sturdy body against him. The sound of his laughter. Their hands brushing against each other.

“What trouble have you gotten into?” He whispered lowly, and Zack had a curious shiver.

“Uh, after Deepground I was helping Cloud and Seph settle down and finishing up a lot of his work in the WRO. Some of the guys from SOLDIER and I meet up occasionally to talk. You should come. We all miss you. Seph misses you.” He hummed in acknowledgment, playing with a long strand of Zack's hair that had fallen over and tickled his arm.“Right now I'm still doing some monster hunting for Reeve, but I'm looking for something else right now.”

“You could do anything if you put your mind to it. I'm sure Genesis could help if you need some connections.” He let the strand slip out of his fingers, and fall back to the other spikes.

Zack sighed, shaking his head. “I know, I know. It's just… the guys have been nice about it too, suggesting different things I could do and do well but…”

“You're not used to it.” He finished for him.

Zack nodded demurely, “It's so routine now, I don't know how to handle it. I can't adjust. All I do is travel, hunting monsters and then going home waiting for something to happen. I think that's why Cloud started asking me to look after Denzel. He saw I was doing the same thing he did when he was feeling lost and useless… sorry.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Maybe I shouldn't be unloading all of this on you.” He looked away. “Ha, looks like Xion and Denzel are getting along.”

He followed his gaze and couldn't help but smile. Xion was fist pumping the air and cheering loudly as tickets spewed out of a skeeball machine, and Denzel laughed. He said something, and Xion placed her hands on her hips and posed triumphantly. Reading her lips, he laughed at her order to “bow before the skiball queen.”

Zack turned back to him, and he began “I don't mind you telling me these things Zack. I'd prefer it. I know you have no reason to trust me after I left but I will always care about you.”

Zack gave him a long look. He quickly stared down at the table and covered his eyes with his hand. “Angealll, don't say stuff like that.”

“It's true.” Was all he said.

Zack chuckled and lowered his hands. His eyes didn't look wet but his did look overjoyed and relieved. “And I do trust you. Always.”

Two pairs of small footsteps drew their attention. “Hey dad,” Xion was back and hugging a giant stuffed animal to her chest. The bright pink chocobo's feet dragged on the floor thanks to how much taller it was than her. “I'm hungry. Can we get another pizza?”

“Hi hungry,” Xion groaned and Denzel giggled next to her. “I'm dad.”

“I walked into that one.” She mumbled with a pout. “But can we? Please?”

“Of course. Pineapple and ham right?” Zack stood up and let him slide out of the booth, and Xion thanked him with a grin. He heard Zack laugh behind him and say “That was so bad.”

“You haven't even heard the half of it. Yesterday I asked him if we could go to the beach and he said “we'll ‘sea’ if the weather stays nice.”

He talked to the owner, and when they walked away after taking the Gil he took a moment to appreciate the moment. It was a surreal sight, watching Zack cheerfully recount something to Xion and Denzel who leaned forward with obvious interest.

He made his way back over and the sound of Zack's rich voice swept over him and drew him in. “... The bird was not having any of it. It starts dragging me away by my hair to preen me, all the while Angeal's waving these greens with the most panicked expression on his face cooing like it's a chickaboo. With dragons sleeping just a couple of feet away.” The two children giggled at his retelling.

“Zack was trying not to scream the whole time.” He continued for the younger. “His chocobo pushed him down into the snow, and he made the most affronted noise when it sat on him.”

“And then when Angeal finally got me out from under it.” Zack interjected “he said 'its “ice” to see you're not hurt.’”

“He groaned so loud it woke up the dragons.”

“And then he said 'this is a scaly situation’ while we were fighting them!”

“Dad noooo!” Xion gasped with a loud snort. “That's so bad.”

“I thought they were great.” He muttered.

“Don't worry ‘Geal, they were puntastic.” Zack assured with a wink.

It was Denzel's turn to shake his head with an eye roll, and Xion seemed to relish in his misery. “If you think my jokes are horrible,” He began “Some of Zack's were absolutely abysmal.” He shook his head at the memories. “There were so many angel jokes”

“Heyyy, those were great.” Zack insisted with a pout. “I worked really hard on some of those.”

“I'm sure, it must've taken a while to come up with 'halo there, how are you doing’.” He teased as the pizza came. Xion and Denzel talked in between large bites, something about a remake of an old game coming out in a couple years. He wondered if Zack stilled played video games.

“Geal?”

His eyes flickered up quickly, a slice of pizza he hadn't bit down on and was still between his lips. He quickly bit and swallowed it with a gulp. “Yes?”

Zack laughed and reached up, and rubbed his thumb on his cheek. “You've some sauce there.” He pulled a away and licked the red smudge off his finger. “And I was wondering if I could get your number.”

“Yes, of course.”

With some trading they sorted out the contact details. Zack leaned against him, resting his head on his shoulder. “Do you remember that time we went camping? And I dived off the cliff?”

He chuckled, reaching up and weaving his fingers through Zack's hair. “How could I forget? I lost ten years of my life after that ordeal.” He had jumped after him, hugging him midair, and they both crashed into the lake below. Crystal clear water had washed up around them, and Zack looked at him through silky lashes with tiny pearls of water on them.

“Your back was all red from hitting the water.” He giggled, rubbing said back. “And you dropped me on a rock swimming to the shore.” He winced, remembering how he had slipped on the rocky shore and sent Zack flying. “We were both so scratched up from it, but it was fun.”

“I’m glad.” He admitted. “I was worried you'd never want to go again with me.”

Zack tilted his head. “We never did get to go camping again after that, did we?” He grinned, sitting up straight. “We should change that.”

“It's a date.” He promised.

“A date.” Zack echoed.

They finished the rest of their pizza, and their small conversations after that, lingering outside before finally parting. Xion watched Zack saddle a motorcycle with Denzel behind him from behind the passenger car window. “Sooo, how did you two meet?”

He shook her head at the sing song tone of her voice and began to recount many of their adventures together with fondness, a giddy excitement bubbling in his chest about the new memories they would be able to make. 


End file.
